The production of agriculture produce would get affected badly due to drastic reduction in the rainfall across south India plus due to the failure of seasonal rains in the Cauvery catchment area and in the tiger reserves spread over the Nilgiris biosphere. This would increase the growing inflation in states like Tamil Nadu and Andhra. This was warned by some stakeholders dealing with groceries, vegetables etc. At present, the cost of vegetables is steady, but the costs of other grocery items have been increasing.
It was brought out by a wholesale trader at the Koyambedu market in Chennai Mr. Muthukumar that intense rainfall earlier had led to damage of crops in the neighbouring states leading to supply shortage. He added that prices of many vegetables increased to more than Rs 000 per kg. The Koyambedu market now receives 7000 to 8000 tonnes of vegetables from the states like AP, Karnataka and Maharashtra etc. As a result, the prices get reduced by 50percent when compared to the rates sold in the last 3 months.
Drought situation:
It is now mentioned that due to the present drought situation the prices of vegetables would increase. The perishable commodities were sold at lowest prices and the customers and retail vendors bought them in huge amounts. This was as per some traders.
According to a trader, the NE monsoons would commence from October and due to marginal reduction in the supply of vegetables the rates of vegetables would increase by 10- 12percent. He was of the view that fruit sales would become worse in this monsoon. In 2023, the prices of groceries were very high and it impacted the poor and middle class families.
It was brought out by a homemaker in Chennai that the prices of essential commodities have become more. She added that the price of cumin seeds that was Rs 10 per 50 gms has shot up to Rs 45 per 50gms. Everything has become so expensive now and this was mentioned by a wholesale trader in Broadway in north Chennai. He threw light about how the consumers who were not fussy earlier about buying grocery items are now bothered about the cost and quality etc. The shortage of commodities has many to opt for lesser quality products at cheap rates.
It was revealed by a farmer that change in the climate was also responsible for the prices of essential items to become more.